Boeing alerting airlines to engine icing problems

Boeing is alerting airlines about possible engine icing problems on some of its new planes. It is recommending that planes with a specific General Electric engine avoid flying near thunderstorms that might contain ice crystals.

Boeing spokesman Marc Birtel said that Boeing issued the advisory after ice crystal formation in some instances diminished engine performance. Airlines with planes affected include United, Japan Airlines, Lufthansa, and Air India. Models affected are the 747-8 and the 787, which Boeing Co. calls the Dreamliner.

“To reduce chances of ice crystal conditions, Boeing recommends that operators fly at least 50 nautical miles from thunderstorms that may contain ice crystals,” Boeing said in its statement.

Such a recommendation is not unusual pilot John Nance told The Morning News on KIRO Radio.

“Our basic methodology in commercial aviation worldwide for dealing with thunderstorms is avoid them, avoid them and avoid them,” said Nance.

If a pilot weren’t able to avoid such a storm and did run into the problems Boeing is warning against, Nance explained what might occur.

“For a pilot, you would feel a little bit of a deceleration. You’d look down and see that your engine instruments were showing that the RPM on the engine had come down some, it wouldn’t mean it stopped, but it means it’s beginning to deteriorate,” said Nance.

The engines wouldn’t stop, according to Nance, but they could lose a large portion of their power, which he said is a serious concern.

“The instances where this has happened have been serious enough and worrisome enough that it’s gotten everybody’s undivided attention,” Nance said.

The advisory covers Boeing planes with General Electric Co.’s GEnx engine. In its statement, Boeing said that GE is “working diligently” to deal with the issue and that corrective changes “will be introduced into the fleet as soon as they are available.”

It’s the latest problem to confront the 787. Earlier this year, the 787 was grounded after two planes suffered from smoldering batteries. Flights resumed after Boeing redesigned the battery system.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.